Wet plate gathering in Killruddery 2

Last weekend I've met with a group of lovely people (Martin, Dermot, Sarah & Cindy/from left to right) to pour some plates in Killruddery. 

What, I think, I like the most about the workshops is watching how the creative people find their individual approach to work with collodion (what sometimes is very inspiring). For example - Sarah brought many different objects to photograph and we also tested her father's old wooden 5x7 camera and tintypes.

Cindy got lost in Killruderry's old stables and sheds discovering interesting requisites. Martin was playing with different patterns and holes created by a specific pouring of collodion and tested his pinhole camera. And Dermot tried a little bit of everything with his own Graflex camera.

It was a great weekend and we've poured away o lot of chemicals. Irish changeable weather didn't make establishing exposure times easy, as usual, but even though we did a lot of nice plates (examples below)

Backstage images on FB: link

photograph by Cindy Morrissey

photograph by Sarah McNally

Photograph by Martin Hughes

Photograph by Dermot Marrey

WPC workshop Killruddery summary.

Although it's already 3 weeks after the workshop in Killruddery I'd like to make a short resume of this event and introduce a lovely group of brave photographers, who decided to take part in this dangerous and exhausting venture :)

This is an ending portrait, so, as you can see they stayed in quite a good form after all this.

my lovely workshop group: Alice, Nick, Stephen an Sally (from left to right)

They worked very hard  throughout the whole weekend. They cleaned a huge amount of glass:

this is just a small part of what was cleaned, they seemed to enjoy it ....

they were blinding themselves with bright lights, trying to sit still and motionless for a loooong time....

they were concentrated...

...very concentrated....

and they were choosing their subjects very carefully...

But sometimes they had enough and were trying to hide....

....well,  'Mystic, awful was the process.'(Lewis Carroll, 'Hiawathas Photographing')...

All in all everything went very well and a couple of nice plates were done. Here is the proof - a sample of their results. Well done everyone and thank you all, it was a great weekend!

WPC Workshop

I am pleased to announce that I am organising a wet plate collodion workshop in Killruddery House and Gardens at the end of March. There will be a lot of hard work, and a good fun too, hope the weather will behave.

basic information:
2 days, group of 4,
chemicals, equipment, manual and lunch provided,

Brief Program

Day 1, morning

1. Introduction:
History and overview of the process, chemicals, equipment needed,
darkroom set up, organization,
Health and safety recommendations.
Care and maintenance of chemicals.
Mixing chemicals.

2. Preparation of glass plates, sanding edges and cleaning.

3. Demonstration of the complete process. (camera set up, pouring a glass
plate, sensitization, exposure, development, fixing and washing)

Day 1 afternoon, day 2

4. Practicing, practicing, practising

Making plates by student – as many as you can,
Individual guidance with the process, trouble shooting,
work with natural and artificial lightning,
work with darkbox in more remote areas of the Gardens

5. Demonstration of the varnishing technique. Varnishing.

for more information contact me at:
fabijanczykphotography@gmail.com
0860783053

Killruddery Exhibition photographs

Last Sunday it was a last day of my exhibition 'Killruddery. Reflections on glass. '  Straight after that I went on my holdays, so now I'm fnishing this short post (from Italian Dolomites:)

The opening on Thursday the 15th, was lovely, with an interesting mix of people (photorelation).

During the exhibition there was a big interest in works and the process, and my first public presentation went very well (althought there was a small issue with a developer)

Thank you all my visitors, (and buyers:). Those who didn't manage to see the exhibition can have a look at some of the works (most of them) below :

'Killruddery. Reflections on glass' - WPC exhibition

A while ago  I've started a documentary series about Killruddery Estate, what I've mentioned in one of my previous posts here.
This project is now ending with an exhibition of my works, opening today in the evening (15th Sept) in The Stable Studio, Killruddery House and Gardens, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
During the exhibition (18th Sep) I will also give a talk and present the technique of WPC.

Everything started with photographs I took in my friend's workshop (In Jamese's workshop), where I found beautiful pieces of statues waiting for renovation. These were Killruddery statues, and James told me about this place.
James is a wonderful man, he worked in Killruddery for quite a long time, has a big passion for this place and would tell you a lovely story about each subject from my photographs, giving them a much deeper sense.

When I visited The Gardens I thought it will be a really great idea to document them and that wet plate will be the most suitable technique. I knew that collaboration of WPC and historical surroundings of Killruddery House will create an interesting photographs, giving a sense of the long tradition of this beautiful place and giving an honour to its uniquity.

It was a hard but satisfactory work. It was a challenge. I think everything wrong what can happen when working with WPC on location, happened there, (not mentioning details like changeable Irish weather,rain and wind, forgotten parts of equipment, etc) but even then some of the photographs turned out very well and this is what I love about WPC, I really welcome all the uncernity and imperfections that it brings.(however still practising my patience)
I spent a few following Mondays/Tuesdays in Killruddery running around with my plates, here is the proof:

I am looking forward to today's evening, hope everything will go well and the visitors will enjoy the exhibition.

I would like to dedicate the exhibition  to James, thanking him for inspiring me to undertake the Killruddery project and also for all his help with building or repairing my photography equipment.

WPC exhibition photographs to follow...

Exhibition Dates:

16-20 Sep 2011, 9.30 a.m - 5 p.m
23-25 Sep 2011, 9.30 a.m - 5 p.m

Talk and presentation of the Technique:
18 Sep 2011, 2 p.m

 

The Stable Studio. Killruddery House and Gardens

Southern Cross

Co. Wicklow

Killruddery House and Gardens.

Killruddery estate was my latest photography destination and actually first real and remote work on location. I went to take some test photographs and  I'm happy with the results. It was a big pleasure to work there.

Killruddery House and Gardens are located close to Bray and  belong to the Earls of Meath.

The Gardens are the original 17th century design, with 18th and 19th century additions, perfectly balanced, with beautiful zinc, stone or cast iron statues.

The majestic House dates from late1600s, it was remodelled by Richard and William Morrisson in 1820 and reduced to its present propotions in 1953. The most splendid part of the house is The Orangery with its original glass dome -work of Richard Turner, (who designed the glass houses in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin), and with an interesting collection of marble statues.

Killruddery site with its intimate character and historical importance is an ideal place for photography work. I met with an understanding and interest in collodion technique there and I'll be taking more photographs of this place in the near future.